Tag: Rickie Fowler

PGA Tour stars get in Hawaiian spirit at Sentry Tournament of Champions

This week at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii, some of the PGA Tours best are embracing the island lifestyle with their attire.

The PGA Tour’s opening event of a two-week swing off the mainland in Hawaii has a unique twist: You have to win to get in.

Thursday marks the opening round of the Sentry Tournament of Champions at Kapalua’s Plantation Course. All 34 players in the field have one thing in common, and that’s a victory in 2019.

At the Tour’s first tournament of the new year, the winners-only field is in for a firm, fast and bouncy experience this week after a nine-month renovation project at the Plantation Course.

That said, some of the game’s best have put aside their normal tournament attire to embrace the island lifestyle.

Rickie Fowler during the pro-am prior to the Sentry Tournament Of Champions. (Photo: Getty Images)

During the practice rounds for the $6.7 million event, some of the competitors dressed as if this week in Maui was just another week at the beach.

Famous for his bright Puma gear on the course, fan-favorite Rickie Fowler rocked a bucket hat during Tuesday’s practice round and went all-out during Wednesday’s pro-am in paradise. His matching blue shorts and button-down shirt were both covered in pineapples.

Fellow Puma ambassador Gary Woodland joined Fowler in debuting different versions of Puma’s new Saltwater Collection at last month’s Hero World Challenge and turned some heads in the process.

While Woodland’s attire was rather pedestrian earlier this week, current FedEx Cup leader Brendon Todd joined Fowler on the Pineapple Express, donning a fun hat that featured the tropical fruit.

Brendon Todd looks on during the pro-am prior to the Sentry Tournament Of Champions at the Kapalua Plantation Course. (Photo: Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)

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Sentry Tournament of Champions features loaded field

The 2020 Sentry Tournament of Champions field is loaded with stars like Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm, Rickie Fowler and Dustin Johnson.

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Some of the PGA Tour’s best are bound for paradise.

Thirty-four winners from 2019 have officially committed to the 2020 Sentry Tournament of Champions, the Tour’s first event of the new year, at the Plantation Course at Kapalua, Jan. 2-5.

The loaded field features 13 of the top 30 players from the 2018-19 FedEx Cup standings, as well as seven of this year’s top 10. The field contains 15 first-time winners, the second most in tournament history after 19 competed in 2003 when the event was called the Mercedes Championships.

While the field features heavy-hitters like Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm, Rickie Fowler and Dustin Johnson, there are a handful of big names who qualified but failed to commit, like Brook Koepka, Rory McIlroy, Phil Mickelson, and Tiger Woods.

Here’s the complete field:

Patrick Cantlay Graeme McDowell
Paul Casey Keith Mitchell
Cameron Champ Collin Morikawa
Corey Conners Sebastián Muñoz
Tyler Duncan Kevin Na
Rickie Fowler Joaquín Niemann
Dylan Frittelli Ryan Palmer
Lanto Griffin J.T. Poston
Jim Herman Jon Rahm
J.B. Holmes Chez Reavie
Max Homa Patrick Reed
Dustin Johnson Xander Schauffele
Sung Kang Justin Thomas
Kevin Kisner Brendon Todd
Matt Kuchar Martin Trainer
Nate Lashley Matthew Wolff
Adam Long Gary Woodland

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2020 PGA Tour major odds: Is this the year for Rickie Fowler?

Analyzing Rickie Fowler’s chances and betting odds of winning a major championship during the 2020 PGA Tour season.

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Will Rickie Fowler win a PGA Tour major championship in 2020? Based off BetMGM‘s golf betting odds, I analyze Fowler’s best opportunities to win along with some of the best potential golf betting lines to cash in on Rickie’s play this year. This piece is part of a SportsbookWire series, which will look at the PGA Tour’s biggest names and their chances of winning a major championship in 2020.

Rickie Fowler’s 2019 PGA Tour Highlights

  • Won Waste Management Phoenix Open
  • T-2 The Honda Classic
  • T-4 Wells Fargo Championship
  • T-6 Open Championship

PGA Tour odds to win a major in 2020

Name Official World Golf Ranking Odds Last PGA Tour win (Solo) Last major
Brooks Koepka 1 +200 July 2019 2019 PGA Championship
Rory McIlroy 2 +250 Nov. 2019 2014 PGA Championship
Jon Rahm 3 +350 Jan. 2018 NA
Justin Thomas 4 +450 Oct. 2019 2017 PGA Championship
Dustin Johnson 5 +200 Feb. 2019 2016 US Open
Tiger Woods 6 +400 Oct. 2019 2019 Masters
Patrick Cantlay 7 +500 June 2019 NA
Justin Rose 8 +400 Jan. 2019 2013 US Open
Xander Schauffele 9 +500 Jan. 2019 NA
Tommy Fleetwood 10 +600 NA NA
Rickie Fowler 23 +450 Feb. 2019 NA

Fowler has fallen to 23rd in the Official World Golf Ranking this year after closing out 2018 at No. 11. Still, his major odds remain among the world’s elite due to his status as a public favorite in the U.S. and worldwide. He has the same odds as Justin Thomas, and I greatly prefer the latter.

Looking to place a bet on Rickie Fowler to win a major in 2020? Get some action on it at BetMGM.  Sign up and bet at BetMGM now!

Where is Rickie Fowler’s best chance of winning a major in 2020?

Event 2020 Venue Best career result Odds
Masters Augusta National 2nd (2018) +2000
PGA Championship TPC Harding Park T-3 (2014) +2200
US Open Winged Foot T-2 (2014) +2500
Open Championship Royal St. George’s T-2 (2014) +2500

Fowler had an incredible run of major success in 2014 which also included a T-5 at the Masters. Since then, has competed in 20 majors with three missed cuts and five top 10s. He has three career top 10s at both The Open and the US Open, but it’s the Masters where his best major result of a solo runner-up occurred in 2018.

The Open Championship returns to Royal St. George’s this year, where Fowler claimed a T-5 in 2011.

Will Rickie Fowler win a major in 2020?

Fowler’s always in the hunt at the majors, but at +450 odds, it just isn’t worth the venture. There are several better golfers available with more appealing odds. If you want action on Fowler, bet him at The Open.

Top PGA Tour bets to win a major in 2020

Get some PGA Tour betting action by signing up and betting at BetMGM. If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Final rounds: PGA Tour pros share where they’d play the last rounds of their lives

Last round of your life – where would it be? That was the question we posed to more than two dozen PGA Tour pros. Some of the answers were surprising while others were predictable. Augusta National, Pebble Beach, Cypress Point, Pine Valley and St. …

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Last round of your life – where would it be?

That was the question we posed to more than two dozen PGA Tour pros.

Some of the answers were surprising while others were predictable.

Augusta National, Pebble Beach, Cypress Point, Pine Valley and St. Andrews led the way with multiple responses. We liked some of the creativity such as Chris Baker saying not just Augusta but Sunday at Augusta and Rickie Fowler wanted Augusta running fast and firm and Adam Hadwin specifying he would like a sunny day at Pebble.

Or how about Bo Van Pelt squeezing two gems into his final round with the front nine at Pebble and back nine at Augusta? Well played, Bo, well played.

If it makes you feel any better, we discovered that Steve Stricker and Jim Furyk haven’t played Pine Valley yet either. There also were a bunch of sentimentalists among us who chose one more round at the course where they grew up because as Hank Lebioda put it of Tuscowilla, where he learned the game, “it’s a cow pasture but it’s my cow pasture.”

Check out the places the pros would play their last rounds if they could choose. Answers are listed in alphabetical order.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6, Page 7, Page 8, Page 9

Most memorable, bizarre rules controversies of 2019

When the new Rules of Golf were implemented on Jan. 1, 2019, it took player a while to adjust. Here are some of the memorable violations.

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The USGA announced major changes to the Rules of Golf which went into effect on Jan. 1, 2019.

It didn’t take long for the new rules to create headlines.

Thirty-seven major clarifications are divided into eight different categories— ball at rest, ball in motion, taking relief, areas of the course, equipment, playing a ball, when to play during a round (including pace of play) and player behavior.

The specifics involving the new rules and their revised language compared to the previous rule can be read on the USGA’s website.

Over the year, we tracked the most surprising and controversial rules violations in all competitive levels of golf. Here are a few of the most memorable rules violations from 2019.

Be sure to vote for the most bizarre rules violation of the year at the end of the story.

Pages: Page 1, Page 2, Page 3, Page 4, Page 5, Page 6, Page 7, Page 8, Page 9, Page 10, Page 11, Page 12, Page 13, Page 14, Page 15, Page 16, Page 17

Justin Thomas responds to trolls, defends showing emotion at Presidents Cup

Justin Thomas shared a celebratory photo of himself, Rickie Fowler and the Presidents Cup, but the trolls took it from there.

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Justin Thomas is done with the trolls, and they’re not letting up after a couple of memorable moments at the Presidents Cup.

After the Americans rallied from two points down to win the Cup and the celebration looked to be fully under way in Melbourne, Thomas posted a photo of himself and Rickie Fowler (who appears to be wearing a USA onesie and ski goggles) posing with the Cup and the caption, “Remember that time we blew a 5 up lead? Yeah, neither do we.”

In Saturday’s foursomes, JT and Fowler were 5 up through seven holes against Abraham Ancer and Marc Leishman. And as we all know by now, that big lead was erased over the last eight holes and they finished in a tie.

But Twitter wouldn’t let Thomas off the hook, with some responding to him with references to Patrick Reed and others pointing to an incident that occurred in an earlier match against Leishman and Haotong Li.

“If you feel you can knock it from 3 feet you should not mind having to tidy it up!! Move on to the next and show some class!!
@JustinThomas34,” wrote one commenter, @HartleyGolfShop.

In the match against Li and Leishman, after making a 3-foot putt on the 11th hole, Thomas made a ‘gimme’ gesture that showed he didn’t appreciate that the Internationals didn’t concede the putt. Some saw it as JT just messing around, others took offense.

Thomas responded, “Just having fun with my partner was all I was doing. Totally understand it didn’t come off as a good look I’m sorry for that. But Rick and I like to have fun and I show some emotion to pump us up 🇺🇸”

It was the heat of the moment and in the department of bad looks, not the worst by any means. So let him have his day or don’t follow him on Twitter.

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Presidents Cup: Picks for every singles match as U.S. makes final push

With Tiger Woods sitting out, the U.S. has cut the deficit to 10-8 heading into singles action at the Presidents Cup.

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MELBOURNE, Australia – The Americans won the first match of the Presidents Cup on Thursday.

The Americans will win the last match to win the Cup on Sunday.

After Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas teamed to give the Americans a 1-0 lead in the first session, they have been staring at a deficit as the Internationals won the next six matches.

But the U.S. has cut the deficit to 10-8 heading into singles action on Sunday. The heavily favored red, white and blue, which has all 12 players ranked in the top 25 in the world and hasn’t lost in this matchup since 1998, will unleash its firepower to pull out a narrow victory.

PRESIDENTS CUP: Scores | Best photos | Tee times

This is how it will work out in the final 12 matches.

Match 19: Tiger Woods (USA) vs. Abraham Ancer (INT)

Ancer has been THE answer for the Internationals with his remarkable play despite being a rookie, but this is Tiger Woods we’re talking about. He’s 2-0-0 this week, so make it 3-0-0. After his win, he’ll go and captain his charges until the end. Woods wins 3 and 2.

Match 20: Tony Finau (USA) vs. Hideki Matsuyama (INT)

Finau has played well and is capable of going on birdie binges to whip opponents. But Matsuyama also is world class and is playing well. Matsuyama wins 2 and 1.

Match 21: Patrick Reed (USA) vs. C.T. Pan (INT)

Reed will be without his regular caddie, Kessler Karain. He hasn’t won in three matches. He’s been heckled throughout the proceedings. But he’s a raging bull who will channel his anger and deliver a big point against the rookie. Reed wins 3 and 2.

Match 22: Dustin Johnson (USA) vs. Haotong Li (INT)

Johnson is battling his putter. Li, a rookie, has played just once. Johnson’s firepower will prove too much to handle. Johnson wins 4 and 3.

Match 23: Bryson DeChambeau (USA) vs. Adam Hadwin (INT)

DeChambeau bulked up heading into the matches and his swing hasn’t caught up. Hadwin dealt with a bit of food poisoning and sat out Saturday. Both won’t fire their best. The match will end in a tie.

Match 24: Gary Woodland (USA) vs. Sungjae Im (INT)

Woodland, the reigning U.S. Open champion, has played well in his last two matches. Im has played well in all his matches. But Im missed a 10-footer on the last hole of the last match on Saturday that cost his team a full point. That might linger. The match will end in a tie.

Match 25: Patrick Cantlay (USA) vs. Joaquin Niemann (INT)

Cantlay will have too much firepower – he’s one of the best, longest drivers of the golf ball – and will topple the young, spirited rookie who has played well. Cantlay wins 2 and 1.

Match 26: Xander Schauffele (USA) vs. Adam Scott (INT)

This will be one of the day’s best matches. Both have come up big throughout the week. Both have, at times, struggled with the putter. Scott, however, hasn’t won the Cup and that urgency will prove the difference. Scott wins 1 up.

Match 27: Webb Simpson (USA) vs. Ben An (INT)

Simpson hasn’t won this week in three matches. An has played well and made a bunch of birdies. An wins 2 and 1.

Match 28: Justin Thomas (USA) vs. Cameron Smith (INT)

Forget Thomas and Rickie Fowler squandering a 5-up lead with eight to play Saturday afternoon. Thomas won’t remember it when he steps to the first tee. He has become a leader for the USA and is one of the best in the world. He makes amends. Thomas wins 3 and 2.

Match 29: Matt Kuchar (USA) vs. Louis Oosthuizen (INT)

Kuchar is steady and rarely makes mistakes. Oosthuizen is the team’s best player. Neither will panic as the pressure amps up late on Sunday. The match will end in a tie.

Match 30: Rickie Fowler (USA) vs. Marc Leishman (INT)

The score will be 14½-14½ with one match still in progress. Fowler was the last addition to the American squad and he’ll deliver the winning point in the last match of the day. He’s one of the game’s best putters, one of the game’s best when it comes to imagination, which you need around Royal Melbourne. Leishman is playing all five matches. At times he looked spent on Saturday. The putter that Fowler is will win the Cup for the Americans. Fowler wins 2 and 1.

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U.S. Presidents Cup team sings ‘Happy Birthday’ to Rickie Fowler on team bus

On the bus ride over to Royal Melbourne, Tiger Woods and his U.S. team sang happy birthday to Rickie Fowler, who turned 31 on Dec. 13.

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He was a late add to the 2019 U.S. Presidents Cup team and was on the sidelines during the Day 1 action at Royal Melbourne.

But at the close of the day on Thursday night in Melbourne, U.S. captain Tiger Woods announced that Rickie Fowler will see action on Day 2.

Fowler will team with Gary Woodland in Thursday’s foursomes. The U.S. pair will square off against Sungjae Im and Cameron Smith. Smtih also sat out the first day.

Fowler was added to the team by Woods three weeks ago when world No. 1 Brooks Koepka announced that he had been forced to withdraw from the Cup while recovering from a knee injury.

On the bus ride over to Royal Melbourne, Woods got up and announced to the team that it was Fowler’s birthday.

PRESIDENTS CUP: Scores | Viewer’s guide | Photos

In a video posted on social media, Woods added: “What people don’t know is that he was born on the same day as Taylor Swift.”

Fowler, sitting with his hat on backwards, then gave the “whatever” shrug while his teammates shared a laugh. The 31-year-old’s birthday is Dec. 13.

Then, of course, came the obligatory sing-along.

“So let’s sing a ‘Happy Birthday’ to Rick,” said Woods.

And here’s the video:

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2019 Presidents Cup odds, lines, picks and best bets: Which side wins at Royal Melbourne?

Previewing the 2019 Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne Golf Club, with golf betting odds and picks for outright winner and the best props.

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The 2019 Presidents Cup takes place this week at The Royal Melbourne Golf Club in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Twelve of the top golfers from the United States tee off against 12 of the best from outside of Europe. Below, we analyze the tournament odds and prop bets, with golf betting picks and tips.

The first round will start Wednesday, Dec. 11, at 5:30 p.m. ET.

Looking to place a bet on this tournament? Get some action on it at BetMGM. Sign up and bet at BetMGM now!

Presidents Cup Teams

Captains Tiger Woods (USA) and Ernie Els (International) selected the following teams:

Team USA International Team
Dustin Johnson–Justin Thomas Hideki Matsuyama–Adam Scott
Matt Kuchar–Xander Schauffele Louis Oosthuizen–Marc Leishman
Webb Simpson–Patrick Cantlay Abraham Ancer–Haotong Li
Bryson DeChambeau–Tiger Woods C.T. Pan–Cameron Smith
Gary Woodland–Tony Finau Joaquin Niemann–Adam Hadwin
Patrick Reed–Rickie Fowler Sungjae Im–Byeong Hun An

The entire US team ranks in the top 25 of the Official World Golf Ranking, while only three members of the International side are in the top 25.

Presidents Cup Tournament Winner

Odds provided by BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Monday at 1 p.m. ET.

Team USA has won the past seven Presidents Cups and leads the all-time series against the International side at 10-1-1. Fortunately for the global squad, which is led by three Australians, its only Presidents Cup victory was at this venue in 1998.

The INTERNATIONALS are getting juicy +250 odds for the tournament victory. Team USA is a -250 favorite. Look for Adam Scott (No. 18), Marc Leishman (No. 28) and Cameron Smith (No. 52) to lead the Internationals to victory on home soil.

Presidents Cup Prop Bets

Internationals +3.5 Points (-125)

After losing 19-11 in 2017, look for the Internationals to keep it closer this time out. Their previous two losses in 2015 and ’13, were decided by one and three points, respectively.

Top Combined Points Scorer: Adam Scott (+1200)

Scott will have the crowd behind him as the top golfer from the host nation. He didn’t play in 1998 (when the Internationals got their lone win in the event, also in Melbourne), but he has won both the Australian Open and Australian PGA Championship and has spoken highly of wanting to win at the famed Royal Melbourne as a potential career highlight.

Who will score the most points for the USA? Patrick Reed (+900)

Expect the best from Reed, who has excelled in the Ryder Cup format against Europe, and in the 2017 Presidents Cup. He’s coming off another controversy at last week’s Hero World Challenge in which he was penalized two strokes for improving his line of play in a waste bunker.

Get some action on this tournament by signing up and betting at BetMGM. If you’re looking for more sports betting picks and tips, access all of our content at SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @EstenMcLaren and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Forecaddie: Bryson DeChambeau not ready to sport Puma’s new slow play polo just yet

Puma’s new Saltwater Collection was debuted at the Hero World Challenge by Rickie Fowler and Gary Woodland.

The Forecaddie couldn’t help but admire Puma’s new Saltwater Collection, debuted at the Hero World Challenge by its three highest profile male ambassadors. The ultra soft and thin cotton — The Man Out Front meant to say Fusion Yarn Flex fabric — may address the need for a performance shirt without the shine.

But it’s the design that may turn a few heads, with the light blue-themed collection including the Slow Play Polo, Slow Play Tee and the Predators Polo. A turtle logo adorns the Slow Play Polo. Get it. Turtle. Slow.

The Forecaddie digresses.

As Gary Woodland and Rickie Fowler debuted different versions of the turtle-infused line, the field’s other Puma player was not quite ready to embrace the golfing turtle.

“It’s an awesome collection,” Bryson DeChambeau said as The Man Out Front trailed him in a quick course departure following an opening 76. “They had the turtle one …” he said, and before the Forecaddie could ask if it would make his repertoire.

“That’s not going to happen,” DeChambeau said.

He’s probably wise to avoid any slow play talk after 2019’s high-profile episodes where he became a lightning rod for tepid play. Though Rickie Fowler, easing into the new collection with a white shirt sporting just one turtle while posting a first round 69, regaled media with a different, light-hearted theory.

“I thought it would have been awesome if he kind of went with it and then he could have just said to people asking, ‘Bryson, why are you wearing it?’ and be like, ‘Actually it’s my own line, I’m a little slow, Gary and Rickie decided to jump on board, they’re very supportive of me, to help me through this hard time.’”

That’s not going to happen. At least, anytime soon.

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